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Technical Q&As
A full suite of free developer tools is available to Mac OS X developers, who can speed up their development process by using these tools to prototype, compile, debug, and optimize their software products. Xcode, Apple's integrated development environment, can be used with Cocoa, Carbon, or Java. Apple also provides a wide selection of open-source tools, such as GCC, which is used to compile in Mach-O, the native runtime environment of Mac OS X.

Tools Resources
A guided introduction and learning path for developers new to Mac OS X developer tools.   Essential information for developers using the Xcode software development tool set.   Descriptions of low-level system libraries that are typically included with a compiler to support a specific programming language.
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Can't attach during two-machine debugging with GDB (HTML) ()
Deprecated - QA1019: Describes a workaround for a problem attaching during two-machine debugging on Mac OS X 10.0.x.
Compilers & Debuggers 2003-06-02
Changing the TCP Window Size (HTML)
NW47: Describes how to change the TCP window size in Open Transport.
Performance 1997-03-14
Correcting a PackageMaker version.plist and BundleVersions.plist problem (HTML) ()
QA1281: Describes how to correct a PackageMaker version.plist and BundleVersions.plist problem.
Files & Software Installation 2003-08-25
Creating install packages from the command line (HTML)
QA1284: Describes how to create install packages from the command line.
Files & Software Installation 2003-10-08
Debugging arbitrary applications with Xcode (HTML)
QA1305: Debugging an application with Xcode without requiring the project that built the application.
Xcode 2003-09-15
Detecting Macsbug (HTML)
PLAT30: Explains how to detect whether MacsBug or another debugger is loaded and provides a code snippet.
Compilers & Debuggers 1997-05-01
Detecting the Debugger (HTML)
QA1361: Shows how to determine whether you're being run under the debugger.
Compilers & Debuggers 2004-10-27
Developing with ZeroLink: small applications and launching on other computers (HTML)
QA1322: Resolving issues caused by the ZeroLink feature in Xcode.
Xcode 2003-10-31
Diagnosing a Hang in vSyncWait (HTML) ()
PLAT18: Gives tips for diagnosing a hang in the vSyncWait loop.
Compilers & Debuggers 1996-02-15
Disabling a Processor on a Multiprocessor System (HTML) ()
QA1141: Describes how to disable a processor on a multiprocessor system for testing purposes.
Compilers & Debuggers, Performance 2002-05-22
Documentation updater for Project Builder shipping with Mac OS X 10.2 (HTML) ()
QA1207: Updating Project Builder to find new symbols, including the Bluetooth framework under Mac OS X.
Xcode 2002-10-25
'dynamic shared library not made a weak library in output with MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET...' bug (HTML) ()
QA1233: Why 'ld' may give a warning about the Mac OS X_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET environment variable and its failure to weak link.
Compilers & Debuggers, Xcode 2003-04-01
Generating an NMI Without a Programmer's Switch (HTML) ()
QA1264: Explains how to generate a non-maskable interrupt (NMI) on CPUs without programmer's switches.
Compilers & Debuggers 2004-04-26
Getting owner and group name references for PackageMaker package contents (HTML) ()
QA1285: Describes how to get owner and group name references for PackageMaker package contents.
Files & Software Installation 2003-08-25
How to solve '_objc_exception_set_functions' ZeroLink errors in Xcode (HTML)
QA1321: Explains how to eliminate '_objc_exception_set_functions' ZeroLink errors in Xcode
Xcode 2003-10-29
Library naming conventions for proper building and linking with the Mac OS X Developer Tools (HTML)
QA1101: Describes the library naming conventions required by the Mac OS X Developer Tools to properly link against your libraries.
Compilers & Debuggers, Xcode 2001-12-20
PackageMaker's NeedsAuthorization value causes install to fail (HTML) ()
QA1283: Provides a workaround when PackageMaker's NeedsAuthorization value causes a Mac OS X 10.1 installation failure.
Files & Software Installation 2003-08-25
Programmatically causing restart, shutdown and/or logout (HTML) ()
QA1134: Describes how to programmatically cause restart, shutdown, sleep or logout.
Scripting 2003-02-10
Project Builder 2.1 needs projects to be checked into CVS to enable CVS support (HTML) ()
QA1245: Explains how to workaround a bug in Project Builder that blocks CVS functionality.
Source Control, Xcode 2003-03-20
QuickTime 6.4 & AvailabilityMacros.h on Mac OS X 10.2.x (HTML)
QA1316: Fixing compilation issues when upgrading to QuickTime 6.4 on Mac OS X 10.2.x systems.
Xcode 2003-10-21
Remote or Two-Machine Debugging Applications with GDB (HTML)
QA1279: Explains how to setup a remote or two-machine debugging configuration using gdb and ssh.
Compilers & Debuggers 2003-09-09
Running out of TOC Space (HTML) ()
PLAT22: Explains why an application might run out of TOC space and provides a workaround for this limitation.
Compilers & Debuggers 1996-06-01
Setting environment variables for user processes (HTML)
QA1067: Tells how to set environment variables for user processes.
Compilers & Debuggers, Darwin, Scripting, Source Control 2001-10-25
Spaces in project names: solving "Missing file or directory" errors in Project Builder (HTML)
QA1301: Explains "Missing file or directory" errors when building with Project Builder.
Xcode 2003-09-15
Static linking of user binaries on Mac OS X (HTML) ()
QA1118: Explains why static linking of user binaries is not supported on Mac OS X, and possible workarounds.
Darwin 2002-02-07
Stub Library FAQ (HTML)
PLAT28: Explains stub libraries and their use, and differences between shared libraries and stub libraries.
Compilers & Debuggers 1997-03-14
Symbol to Library in GDB (HTML)
QA1388: Shows how to find the library containing a symbol in GDB.
Compilers & Debuggers 2004-11-15
Using Pascal strings in Project Builder (HTML)
QA1053: Shows how to force gcc (compiler used by Project Builder) to understand Pascal strings.
Compilers & Debuggers, Xcode 2001-06-28
Using qd and QDGlobals (HTML) ()
Deprecated - QD40: Why a sample program compiled with SC may give the link error: undefined entry qd. Provides a solution.
Compilers & Debuggers 1996-02-09
Using the latest Mac OS X headers in my CFM project with CodeWarrior (HTML)
QA1379: Describes how to use the latest Mac OS X headers in CodeWarrior by modifying the CFM project access paths.
Compilers & Debuggers 2004-10-08
Working with groups and folder references in Project Builder (HTML)
QA1077: Explains how to work with groups and folder references in Project Builder
Xcode 2001-09-25